I think the edge of extinction plot device worked when done one time, but like character death, the more times it's done, the less impact it has when undone and then repeated. I liked the feel of the post-M-Day X-franchise, with the sense that the mutant race was struggling to hang on and that every death mattered. When done well it brought a sense of narrative tension in a way that's harder to achieve when mutants existed in large numbers--it gave the sense that the loss had a real numerical impact while at the same time putting a face to the tragedy, which is more of a challenge when the population is in the millions. I wouldn't want it to be the permanent status quo (nor is it really sustainable as one), but it was an interesting direction to explore for a few years.
However, having gotten through near-extinction once and come through the other side, it's much harder to get worked up about it a second time. It feels less like a major event and more like, say, the destruction of the Xavier mansion: a new status quo that they'll switch to for a while before returning to a more familiar situation.
The vibe I remember getting from them in the '80s-'90s had a certain element of the classic "If only I could..." on Cloak's side, since physical contact was tricky, but I also admit I haven't read that since so that may just be a trick of memory.
Part of the reason is the eternal "comics are for kids" assumption, but beyond that, I think that the effect of a picture can hit much harder and more quickly than a description of the same thing. If someone picks up a book and opens it to a description of a limb-chopping, they have to take the effort to read and engage with the text to some degree to realize what's going on; if they pick up a comic illustrating the same scene, the picture hits them instantly with no need to process it, and so it's likely to be more of an immediate shock.
The main ones are Season One, Fallen Angels (which I'd read when it first came out but had forgotten about until it was covered), and, um, the Tattoo Tales "Spellbound" (which isn't as insane as the other one they covered on the podcast, sadly).
My original introductions to the X-Men were weirdly eclectic: Son of Origins of Marvel Comics and related titles, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, and then reading Secret Wars. (I'm kind of embarrassed that it took me a bit to realize that the Iceman I identified with for being the youngest team member in the Silver Age reprints was the same guy I found annoying in SPAHAF, but in fairness I was young and he did look different.)
The first X-book I bought off the stands was Uncanny #197, which was a strange jumping-on point (it's the issue where Arcade kidnaps Piotr and Kitty and they work through their relationship issues). As a 13-year-old I didn't properly appreciate the next issue, "Lifedeath II" (it didn't help that I hadn't read the first one, either) but I was still pretty hooked at that point. I picked up New Mutants sporadically, then jumped on X-Factor when it premiered (in part because all the books on collecting comics emphasized the importance of buying #1s).
I think a case could be made that the mutation-disability connection goes all the way back to the beginning of the series, specifically with Cyclops. (And to a lesser extent, characters who have to accommodate their physical mutations like Angel and Beast, but for those two it largely affects their ability to blend into non-mutant society.) With Scott, it wasn't always at the metaphorical level, either.
Beyond the obvious practical issues his mutation causes him on an ongoing basis, he also has to deal with its effects on his sense of belonging (even among other mutants). Early on, the way he refers to his mutation is very similar to the way Marvel's other disabled characters of the era refer to their disabilities--cursing the way that they come between him and the one he loves. (See: Matt Murdock/Karen Page, Tony Stark/Pepper Potts, and in one appalling panel that fortunately wasn't followed up on, Charles Xavier/Jean Grey.)
(I don't know enough about the history of disability in US society to know to what degree this approach reflects broader attitudes in society and entertainment, but it would be fertile ground for study on its own. Early Daredevil in particular has a lot of cringe moments--Matt's self-esteem issues are surely made worse by the patronizing way Foggy and Karen talk about him.)
I've picked up a bunch of comics podcasts recently, but my current favorites are Fantasticast and Teen Titans Wasteland (thanks to Jay and Miles for the recommendation!).
On the subject of Cyclops being singled out for the Phoenix situation (especially by Iceman, who became especially tiresome) I'm disappointed that Rachel never spoke up on the subject. "You know, when I had the Phoenix force I nearly destroyed the entire universe, so unless you've been there maybe lay off, okay?"



Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-MenThe Threat of X-tinction: Yea or Nay?Apr 08, 2016 at 5:02 PM